Monihei Carnival in Cangyuan: More mud, more luck

The 2018 Monihei Carnival took place from April 30 to May 1 in Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County of Yunnan, southwest China. It’s a festival all about getting as muddy as possible.

“Monihei” literally means “touching you black”. It is said that the carnival takes its meaning from the Wa ethnic group’s custom. Wa people believes that smearing a kind of special mud called Niangbuluo on faces or bodies is a good way to frighten evils, keep healthy and seek longevity. The more paste one smears, the more fortune and health will be bestowed. And the Monihei Carnival is the time to smear mud onto each other to express wishes for health and happiness.

This year’s Monihei Carnival saw a participation of thousands of revelers. The men and women, young and old, celebrated the festival together and got smeared with mud from head to toe. The carnival also involved activities such as ethnic song and dance performances and ethnic costumes exhibition.

In recent years, Cangyuan County has given full play to its advantage of Wa culture, and Monihei has become one of the grandest annual events in Yunnan.

Editor: Wang Shixue